Zebra Finch Aggression (and some bad planning)

[lovezebs]

WHBonney
Hi. With the two siblings getting along all of a sudden... Hate to tell you this, but it being a brother and sister, you are going to end up with these two breeding and a brother sister mating and producing young, is really not a good idea.

[Zebra-mutations]

Zebra-mutations...educated guess?....so your just guessing he would be aggressive in an avairy ..ok

New people that try to start fights here do not last long on this forum. Everyone here can see straight through your provocations...

[Zebra-mutations]

I cant. Its an educated guess. Since he is mine I would think I know how he would react the most

There are some birds that do not do well in a group environment. I have had a few such as yours. One male did not want others around, tried a long 5ftx 3ft flight with others, did not work. Tried the 8x6x3 aviary did not work. Put him in a 30x18 with just his mate and he was fine.

So yes I can truly understand....zebras are can be very aggressive, not all but some.

Good to know its not just me! Yes some zebras do appear to be a notch higher on the aggression scale. But seem to be great mates and parents

[Nerien]

Wild birds also exhibit aggression, dominance, fight, drive others away, prevent them from food sources, take over nests, kill hatchlings, fledglings, harass weanlings so that they leave, everything that people report in their owned birds. Just like people, some are nice, some not so much. Some zebras are just antisocial, just like some dogs, some cats, some people. No matter where or how they live.

[Sally]

Wild birds also exhibit aggression, dominance, fight, drive others away, prevent them from food sources, take over nests, kill hatchlings, fledglings, harass weanlings so that they leave, everything that people report in their owned birds. Just like people, some are nice, some not so much. Some zebras are just antisocial, just like some dogs, some cats, some people. No matter where or how they live.

So agree. Ever watch two or more hummingbirds trying to dominate one feeder? I once saw two hummingbirds outside my kitchen window actually get physical, breast to breast, pummeling each other with their wings as they fell to the ground. I ran outside, expecting to find an injured bird, but both had retreated by then. Thank goodness they are tiny, if they were the size of blue jays, they'd be terrorists!

[Nerien]

Oh yeah, the hummingbirds are brutal to each other. Had to spread our feeders out wide so that the self-proclaimed top male couldn't harrass and guard all of them at once.

I watch other birds also set up a hierarchy, within species and between species. I probably have a couple dozen different bird species, and several animal species also coming to see what they can get. Some get along and share nicely, others will not allow ANYONE else near the feeders or bushes or whatever when they are there. Some sit there and guard even when they are done feeding. (Those we chase away. My feeders, my rules. Share and be nice, or get lost.) Some squirrels allow others there, others drive everyone, fourfooteds and winged, away. Some birds won't tolerate the squirrels, and then there's this one little chipmunk who sneak attacks from behind and drives everyone, big, small, whatever, away while he's there.

The outside world, the inside world, human, animal, bird...not so different overall. Some play nice and get along, some are not nice and just like causing problems. No accounting for personality problems, I guess.

[Zebrafincher]

In terms of aggression, don't be surprised if ALL your birds exhibit it! I have a cranky old canary who is the boss of my flock, and at 12, whilst being geriatric, his size is enough to keep my other two pipsqueaks in line. My star finch is VERY small but he persistently tries to beat the other two (canary and zebra finch) up!

I have my three male birds in three separate cages in order to minimise squabbling and flighting - otherwise I'd NEVER get a break!

[Tommy's Human]

Right now I cater to two male zebra finches in separate but adjacent cages. The cages are smaller than the huge one they used to share, but the younger, more frenetic zebra finch irritated the older one and although there were no other signs of aggression, groomed the older one so enthusiastically the older bird had bare spots. So sometimes, in my limited experience, separation with a view is key to socialization.

In the past, another younger finch and the current "old man" finch usually got along well, but when one did get aggressive rearranging the cage usually helped. It kept them from becoming "devil's workshop" birds.

[Tommy's Human]

The two males I live with are in separate, adjacent cages now. They like each other, but the resuce finch is a frenetic little soul, even by zebra finch standards, and the other bird is older and needs his nap/rest time. I'm hoping when they (and a few friends) have an entire small room for themselves everyone can find his own space.

[ac12]

I have had to play musical cages trying to get my zebras compatible with each other. They start in a community cage, then I pull the troublemakers and keep them separate. At one point like others, I had several in solitary confinement, because they would fight any other bird I had them paired with.

Also have to watch out for the sneaky aggressive/dominant.
They would pluck the other bird, but otherwise be nice. But too much plucking and the other bird is in trouble. So pluckers also get separated.

Compatible pairs can also do a Jeckle and Hyde on you. I had a nice peaceful pair, where one suddenly turned on the other and killed him. I was so MAD that I was almost going to thrown the attacker down the toilet to drown

I also found out firsthand about why you don't have 3-5 birds in a cage. I had 3 in one cage, where 2 paired up, then ganged up on the 3rd, and killed her. After than no more odd-number birds in a cage.

Eventually, I just got tired of dealing with the aggressive behavior of the zebras and gave most of them away. I only have 1 zebra now. Societies and gouldians are much more social.